Kevin's Request
by seditionary
Summary: Emily Prentiss is trying to catch up with paperwork, but is distracted by a request from Garcia's boyfriend.


**A/N: Written for the ChitChat on Author's Corner Forum's first Fanfic Challenge. It's a great forum, check it out!**

**Seds**

Emily Prentiss was drowning in paper. It wasn't just her case files that had her at their mercy; it was overdue expense reports, insurance paperwork, attendance charts and other HR tediousness, as well as a couple of side projects that needed documentation before they could be laid to rest. She shuffled through a seemingly harmless stack of receipts and realized they went back even further than she thought they did, and a small whimper escaped her lips. She was just about to get up and go for another cup of life-sustaining coffee when Kevin Lynch appeared in her doorway.

Prentiss stared at him for a moment; of course she recognized him, but seeing him out of context-Kevin Lynch had never been in her office before, not once-made her already-overloaded brain short circuit. She shook her head to clear it and asked, "Yes?"

Kevin nodded a greeting. "Yeah-hi. Uh... listen, can I talk to you? Please?"

"Um... sure. Come on in. Sit down." Prentiss gestured at a chair in front of her desk and Kevin took a seat. He was his usual awkward, disheveled self, and Prentiss had a brain-searing moment as a vision of him and Garcia in bed came to mind. She pushed it aside and asked, "What is it, Kevin?"

"Uh... well... I wanted to ask you something."

Prentiss waited, then realized he was actually expecting her to give him permission to ask his question. "Ok, Kevin. Go ahead, what do you want to ask me?"

"Ok. So, I've been watching you, see-"

Prentiss felt a little shiver of disgust run through her. Great. All she needed was super-nerd to not only flake out on poor Garcia, but to turn his attention to her; that would be bad enough under any circumstances, but having just slipped into paperwork hell, she didn't have the patience to be diplomatic. She'd have to put a stop to this, but quick.

"Kevin, I-"

"I've been noticing what a classy woman you are, and-"

"Kevin! Stop right there, I-"

"... I mean, you're always so cool and calm, and you're so... I mean, you always look so beautiful, and-"

"Ok, that's enough, you-"

"I really, really admire your style, you know? Your hair, your clothes-I wish I could-"

"Kevin, do not say another word, or-"

"I really wish I could get you to help me out with something."

Prentiss's eyes were flashing and she pursed her lips. By now, she was itching to hear what his idea of "helping" might be. Regardless of whatever misguided nonsense he might spew out at her, she was ready to give him a verbal blast that would leave him limping for days. She crossed her arms and leaned back on her desk. "All right. Go for it."

Kevin licked his lips and looked at the floor for a moment. He then raised hope-filled eyes to Prentiss. "I was wondering... if you could help me pick out a present for Penelope."

Prentiss blinked. "Excuse me? What?"

"I know what she likes as far as, you know, computer stuff goes. And, where games, action figures, and things like that are concerned, I've got it covered. I mean, she collects a lot of things and I know all about those. But... Her birthday's coming up, and I really want to get her something different. Something romantic. Something... feminine. Pretty, you know? And... well, I don't have a clue. So, I was wondering-do you think you could help me? Give me some advice, maybe?"

"Advice? On a present for Pen? Oh... wow. Yeah-sure, Kevin. I-I'm sorry, I didn't know where you were going with that. I'd love to help you out."

A happy smile crossed Kevin's face. "Thanks, Agent Prentiss. You really are a class act all the way."

Prentiss gave him a sheepish grin, then glanced at the stacks of paper on her desk. "Tell you what-give me five minutes to straighten up this mess, and then we'll head out for the shopping district. I already have some ideas that I think you're going to like."

Kevin stood and dug in his pocket for his keys. "I'll get my car and wait for you at the front entrance. You're the best, Agent Prentiss!" He gave her one more grateful smile and hurried out the door.

Prentiss took a minute to arrange her papers into fewer, but taller, symmetrical piles. She then stepped back to look at them, and sighed. They could wait. She picked up her purse and set off to do something that she considered to be a little more fun and a lot more satisfying than paperwork-helping a clueless guy to make his much-loved girlfriend happy.

-The End-


End file.
